Researchers at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory based at Stanford University created an underwater sound so loud that it instantly vaporizes water and appears to set the threshold for how intense sound can be in the water.
The scientists used SLAC's
powerful X-ray laser to blast tiny jets of water with short pulses of
high-frequency energy. When the x-rays hit the microscopic stream of water they
instantly vaporized the water molecules around them like spit on a hot skillet.
They also sent a shock wave traveling through the stream that can actually be
seen moving to the left and right of the blast spot below:
After blasting tiny jets of water with an X-ray laser, researchers watched left- and right-moving trains of shockwaves travel away from microbubble-filled regions.
Claudiu Stan/Rutgers University Newark
What's interesting about this shock wave is that it's strong enough that it's easy to see how it is clearly disturbing the stream of water, but not enough that the molecules completely break down as they do at the point of contact with the powerful X-rays. The researchers suggest that the pressure created by the shock waves was just below this breaking point. That means it would also appear to be the upper limit of how loud a sound can possibly get underwater before it breaks it apart, essentially boiling it on contact.
In other words, yes metal-heads, it is possible to rock so hard that you
instantly boil water. In case you're wondering, the sound pressure equivalent
of this experiment is 270 decibels. That's louder than a rocket launch and
equal to the intensity of directing all the electrical power in an entire city
onto one spot.
If you ever were to experience such a sound directly, earplugs wouldn't
help because the intensity would not only rupture your eardrums but probably
your heart and lungs as well.
So definitely don't try this one at home kids and remember: a life filled
with smooth jazz is a long life.